1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to air valves. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for an oversized air valve comprised of a flexible polymer for use in, for example, above-the-ground, inflatable type swimming pools and air mattresses, and which includes a removable, cylindrical-shaped rigid synthetic insert which prevents deformation of the flexible air valve during transit and storage and also can be utilized for exhausting air from the inflatable device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is directed to methods and apparatus for flexible air valves for use in inflatable devices including, for example, above-the-ground swimming pools and air mattresses formed from polyvinylchloride sheeting and typically used in the out-of-doors.
Inflatable products are typically fashioned from flexible polymer materials such as, for example, polyvinylchloride. As the strength of flexible polymer materials has improved over the years, inflatable product sizes have also increased. Inflatable items such as small diameter above-the-ground swimming pools having inflatable stacked wall rings of 2"-to-3" in diameter have grown to larger pool sizes of up to twelve feet in diameter having inflatable stacked wall rings of 10"-to-12" in diameter.
Each of the inflatable stacked wall rings must include an air valve to insert air into the inflatable device and typically a second valve to exhaust air from the inflatable device. The inserting of air into the inflatable device is typically accomplished by the use of a manual foot-operated pump or an electric air pump. The air pressure generated by the air pump is delivered to the inflatable device via an air hose. The air pump hose typically has a diameter larger than the inside diameter dimension of the opening of the inflation air valve fitted in the inflatable device. In order to interface the hose from the air pump to the inflation air valve, a needle nose adapter or reducer is employed. A needle nose adapter or reducer is normally fitted on the end of the air hose and used for all inflatable devices. The needle-nose adapter enables a standard size air hose extending from the air pump to be force-fitted into the inflation air valve for charging the inflatable device with air.
However, the effectiveness of the air pump in delivering air to the inflatable device is controlled by the inside diameter dimension of the opening of the inflation air valve fitted within the inflatable device. Generally, the larger the inside diameter dimension of the inflation air valve, the greater the effectiveness of the pump in inflating the device. Unfortunately, the inside diameter dimension of the inflation air valves known in the prior art is small. Typically, the inside diameter dimension of an inflation air valve is 3/16" or 5/16". In practice, these two sizes represent the largest inflation air valves available in the prior art. For comparison purposes, the 3/16" diameter air valve has a cross-sectional area of approximately 0.0276 in.sup.2 while the 5/16" diameter air valve has a cross-sectional area of approximately 0.0767 in.sup.2.
An inflation air valve having a larger diameter and a greater cross-sectional area would result in increased effectiveness of the inflation air pump. However, several reasons exist for the absence of inflation air valves having a larger diameter and a greater cross-sectional area. Notwithstanding the manufacturer, all inflatable products including inflation air valves are tightly packed in a box or a polybag for shipping and storing. Thus, all excess air located inside the product is forced out during the packing stage of the inflatable products. Consequently, the inflatable products are literally vacuum packed and larger air valves comprised of flexible polymer materials and having an inside diameter dimension of, for example, 1/2 or greater can be easily crushed or deformed. However, the same tight vacuum packing technique does not damage the smaller inflation air valves having the inside diameter dimensions of 3/16" and 5/16". This is the case since the smaller inflation air valves are more compact with less exposed surface area and thus less vulnerable to damage.
This constant concern of damage and deformation has prevented larger, flexible inflation air valves from being used to maximize the flow of air into inflatable products from the air pump without the need for small needle nose adapters. The inflation air valves fashioned from the flexible polymer material are subject to various U.S. Government regulations directed to, for example, air leakage standards. Experience has shown that damaged or deformed inflation air valves do not recover their shape and consequently do not meet the U.S. Government or other European air leakage standards. For example, in certain products if the top air sealing cap of the inflatable product is inadvertently removed, the inflatable product must not leak more than one-half of the inflation pressure over a sixty minute period. Additionally, if the inflation air valve is deformed, the bottom back pressure flap will not function properly resulting in excessive air leakage.
Efforts by others in the past to solve these problems have resulted in rigid polymer air valves for use in inflatable products. An example of a rigid polymer air valve includes the Boston Valve which is not subject to damage or deformation caused by shipping and storing when packed in a very tight manner. However, the development and manufacturing process is very expensive resulting in high wholesale and retail prices. Further, it is intended to employ the inflation air valve in products made from flexible polyvinylchloride sheeting such as an inflatable, above-the-ground swimming pool. These products are intended for use by children and thus incorporating a rigid polymer air valve into the design may not satisfy applicable safety standards.
Thus, there is a need in the art for an oversized air valve having a removable rigid insert for providing an anti-deformation feature and an air exhausting feature which includes a large inside diameter dimension for maximizing the flow of air into an inflatable device without the need for a small needle nose adapter, and where the removable rigid insert when partially inserted inside the oversized air valve prevents damage and deformation to the air valve during shipping and storage which enables the air valve to be comprised of a flexible polymer material such as polyvinylchloride, and where the removable rigid insert when fully inserted inside the oversized air valve enables the exhausting of pressurized air from the inflatable device.